Information Rx: prescribing good consumerism and responsible citizenship.
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Recent medical informatics and sociological literature has painted the image of a new type of patient--one that is reflexive and informed, with highly specified information needs and perceptions, as well as highly developed skills and tactics for acquiring information. Patients have been re-named "reflexive consumers." At the same time, literature about the questionable reliability of web-based information has suggested the need to create both user tools that have pre-selected information and special guidelines for individuals to use to check the individual characteristics of the information they encounter. In this article, we examine suggestions that individuals must be assisted in developing skills for "reflexive consumerism" and what these particular skills should be. Using two types of data (discursive data from websites and promotional items, and supplementary data from interviews and ethnographic observations carried out with those working to sustain these initiatives), we examine how users are directly addressed and discussed. We argue that these initiatives prescribe skills and practices that extend beyond finding and assessing information on the internet and demonstrate that they include ideals of consumerism and citizenship. (+info)
Malaria control among children under five in sub-Saharan Africa: the role of empowerment and parents' participation besides the clinical strategies.
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CONTEXT: Child malaria remains a vital concern in sub-Saharan Africa in spite of major efforts to control it. The widely advertised best curative and preventive measures are not always accessible. ISSUE: This article examines the extent to which parents' perceptions and representations are considered, including their empowerment and participation in interventions aimed at controlling child malaria. The effect of this is examined through a content analysis of articles selected in the PubMed and Wholis databases over the period of 1996 to 2005. This analysis was performed according to three predefined categories consistent with the three main health promotion strategies used in the WHO-AFRO region: (1) development of knowledge and skills; (2) creation of supportive environments; and (3) advocacy. LESSONS LEARNED: Successful interventions met the health promotion strategies wholly or partly. Although these interventions were sometimes incomplete, the development took into account people's perceptions and representations. The authors acted on the belief that empowerment of parents and their participation in the development of interventions to control child malaria, is likely to yield better results and assist in reducing the prevalence of malaria morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years. (+info)
Pharmacy students' knowledge, attitudes, and evaluation of direct-to-consumer advertising.
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OBJECTIVES: To assess pharmacy students' knowledge, attitudes, and evaluation of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA). METHODS: A cross sectional, self-administered, 106-item survey instrument was used to assess first, second, and third professional year pharmacy students' knowledge about DTCA regulations, attitudes toward DTCA, and evaluation of DTC advertisements with different brief summary formats (professional labeling and patient labeling) and in different media sources (print and television). RESULTS: One hundred twenty (51.3%) of the 234 students enrolled participated in the study. The mean percentage knowledge score was 48.7% +/- 12.5%. Based on the mean scores per item, pharmacy students had an overall negative attitude toward DTC advertisements. Students had an overall negative attitude toward television and print advertisements using the professional labeling format but an overall positive attitude toward the print advertisement using the patient labeling format. CONCLUSIONS: Lectures discussing DTC advertising should be included in the pharmacy curriculum. (+info)
Health literacy and adolescents: a framework and agenda for future research.
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Health literacy is an important issue in public health today, especially as patients are taking a greater role in obtaining information about their health. Health literacy is commonly defined as 'the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions'. While there is a large body of literature concerning health literacy and adults, few studies have focused on adolescents. Adolescents may have less interaction with the health care system and lower health care costs than adults, but they are increasingly involved with their health care, especially those with chronic illness. They are frequent users of mass media and other technology to access health information and are a target group for many health-related educational interventions. Adolescents are also at a crucial stage of development, learning skills they will carry with them into adulthood. The goal of this paper is to provide a summary of issues justifying the importance of studying health literacy as it relates to adolescents and to provide a framework and suggestions for future research. (+info)
Sociodemographic factors influencing the effectiveness of public health education - a comparison of two studies in Singapore.
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INTRODUCTION: We aimed to evaluate if sociodemographic factors influenced the effectiveness of public education programmes in Singapore. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were extracted from 2 independent cross-sectional studies that assessed the effectiveness of diabetes and HIV/ AIDS public health education programmes. The influence of sociodemographic factors including age, gender, ethnicity and years of education on diabetes and HIV/AIDS knowledge scores (surrogate marker for programme effectiveness) were assessed using separate univariable and multiple linear regression models for each outcome variable. RESULTS: A total of 1321 subjects [46% male, mean (SD) age: 33.9 (13.44) years] participated in the diabetes study while 400 subjects [44% male, mean (SD) age: 33.9 (13.44) years] participated in the HIV/AIDS study. In univariable analyses, age, years of education and ethnicity influenced both diabetes and HIV/ AIDS knowledge scores. However, in multiple linear regression analyses, only age and years of education influenced both diabetes and HIV/AIDS knowledge scores. CONCLUSION: We found that age and years of education influenced the effectiveness of public health education, suggesting that there is a need to tailor public health education programmes to meet the needs of younger subjects and those with fewer years of education. That knowledge scores were similar between male and female subjects was surprising but could potentially be explained by equal access to information, high availability of information technology and heightened awareness of HIV/AIDS in Singapore. (+info)
Relations between Internet use, socio-economic status (SES), social support and subjective health.
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This study aimed to explore relations between Internet use, socio-economic status (SES), social support and subjective health. Participants were from representative samples between 15 and 80 years of age from seven different European countries. Two different survey datasets were used: (i) eHealth trends (eHT; N = 7934) and (ii) the European social survey (ESS2; N = 11248). Internet users who had used the Internet for health purposes were compared with Internet users who had not used it for health purposes. Structural equation modelling was used to assess the relationships between SES, Internet use, social support and subjective health. Use of other media was compared to Internet use in relation to social support and subjective health. Internet use was found to be more closely related to social support and subjective health than use of other media. Internet use was also found to be a plausible mediator between SES and subjective health, especially through interacting with social support. (+info)
The reach and impact of social marketing and reproductive health communication campaigns in Zambia.
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BACKGROUND: Like many sub-Saharan African countries, Zambia is dealing with major health issues, including HIV/AIDS, family planning, and reproductive health. To address reproductive health problems and the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Zambia, several social marketing and health communication programs focusing on reproductive and HIV/AIDS prevention programs are being implemented. This paper describes the reach of these programs and assesses their impact on condom use. METHODS: This paper assesses the reach of selected radio and television programs about family planning and HIV/AIDS and of communications about the socially marketed Maximum condoms in Zambia, as well as their impact on condom use, using data from the 2001-2002 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey. To control for self-selection and endogeneity, we use a two-stage regression model to estimate the effect of program exposure on the behavioural outcomes. RESULTS: Those who were exposed to radio and television programs about family planning and HIV/AIDS were more likely to have ever used a condom (OR = 1.16 for men and 1.06 for women). Men highly exposed to Maximum condoms social marketing communication were more likely than those with low exposure to the program to have ever used a condom (OR = 1.48), and to have used a condom at their last sexual intercourse (OR = 1.23). CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that the reproductive health and social marketing campaigns in Zambia reached a large portion of the population and had a significant impact on condom use. The results suggest that future reproductive health communication campaigns that invest in radio programming may be more effective than those investing in television programming, and that future campaigns should seek to increase their impact among women, perhaps by focusing on the specific constrains that prevent females from using condoms. (+info)
Malaria chemoprophylaxis: what do the travelers choose, and how does pretravel consultation influence their final decision.
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Three different drugs (mefloquine, atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline) are recommended for malaria chemoprophylaxis, each with approximately the same efficacy but various adverse event profiles, regimens, and prices. We investigated which medication the travelers would have chosen on the basis of written evidence-based information and the impact that pretravel consultation had on their decision. A prospective study was performed in a travel clinic and private practice, and 1073 travelers were included; 45% chose mefloquine (Lariam or Mephaquine), 21% atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone), 18% doxycycline (Supracycline), 5% "no prophylaxis," and 11% "do not know." Lariam was principally chosen because of prior experience (38%), Mephaquine because of low price (34%), and doxycycline and Malarone because of the profile of adverse events (55% and 43%, respectively). Based on objective written information, travelers most frequently chose mefloquine for chemoprophylaxis. This suggests that evidence-based information weighs more heavily than negative publicity. Taking into account the perspective of the user should improve appropriateness of the pretravel advice. (+info)